Clam-dredge.



Y No. 702,020. Patented 1mb, l|902.

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` CLAM DBEDGE. `v

(Application med Jan. 7, 1902.)

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No. 702,628. Patented lune |7, |90'2 e.. cHAuuETTE.

CLAMfDREDGE.

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- UNiTED STATES 4PATENT FFICE.

EPHRAIEM CHAQUETTE, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW'YORK.

CLAVl-DREDGE.

SREGIFIGATION forming part of LettersPatentNo. 702,628, dated June 17,1902.

4Application filed January 7, 1902. Serial No. 88,758. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: i

Be it known that I, EPHRAIEM CHAQUETTE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New Rochelle, county of Westchester', State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clam-Dredges,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a clam-dredging apparatus inwhich the clam is opened and closed by means'of compressed air and whichby reason ofits construction shall be more powerful and capable `of eX-cavating a larger quantity of material in a given time and shall beeasier and more effective in its operation than has heretofore been thecase.

My improved dredge is intended and adapted either for harbor or dockuse. In the harbor-dredging I prefer to have two mud-scows, one on eachside of the dredging apparatus, in which case the dredge is preferablyprovided with two clams driven by the same engine, so that the excavatedmaterial can be delivered to both scows simultaneously.y In dredging adock or slip or similar place I prefer to have the mud-scow located atthe outer end of the dredging apparatus, so that the, clams can operatewhen necessary close up to the pier or shore. In the accompanyingdrawings Ihave shown both ways of equip-l ping the dredging apparatus.

Figurel is an end view. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a top viewwithout the clams or their operating mechanism. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 areenlarged views showing the collapsible apron in side and front views andas a top plan, respectively. A

Same letters indicate similar parts in the different figures. v

A is the float or boat which constitutes the body of the dredge.

B is a framework built at the forward end of the boat and supporting thedredging apparatus. This frame, as shown, projects over the end of theboat sufficiently to allow the clams to rise and fall vertically.

C C are the clams, which, as before stated, are preferably two innumber. Each is mounted upon a dredge-carriage D, adapted to move alongthe framework B sidewise of the boat A upon the track a @,which ismounted upon the frame B. When two clams are employed,

each travels half the width of the boat; but

ings fastened to the upper part of the carriage i D and carries also thepinion f, whichmeshes with the rack g, extending crosswise of the boat Aand secured upon theframe B. Itis obvious that by turning themotor-shaft in one direction the dredge and dredge-carriage will bemovedl toward the side of the boat A, while turning it in the otherdirection will cause the dredge-carriage to return to its originalposition in the middle of the boat.

These motors E may be electric or mechanical and 'driven by connection(not shown) from a single engine set in any convenientlocation in theboat A. y

The material raised by the clams C C is discharged by means of thecollapsible apron F, as hereinafter described, into the inclined troughsG G, each of which is hung upon the frame B,as shown at h h, Fig. 2, insuch manner that the two troughs may converge toward each other, asshown in full' lines in Fig. 2, or diverge from each other, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 2.

ln the latter case f the material received by said trough is proandthevidler j', journaled near the end of` said trough. The sprocket isturnedby the chain j2 from the motor I, mounted in said trough. Thetrough His provided with a feeding-chain l, turningupon thevsprocket 7cand the idler 7.1', journale'd near the ends of said trough. Thesprocket 7c is turned by In the former case the roo the chain la? fromthe motor J, mounted on the boat A.

The collapsible trough F consists of two hinged portions m m', hinged,respectively, at n n to the frame oi' the dredge-carriage D. When theclam C is at the top of the dredgecarriage, as shown, the collapsibletrough F is closed. As the clam moves downward to get a new load thetrough F opens to let the clam pass through and remains hanging in anopen position until the clam comes up again. This is effected by reasonof the fact that the inner ends of the portions m m are supported byrods o o, which form a collapsible frame hinged to the frame of thedredge-carriage D, in such a position as to be raised by the clam afterpassing between the two halves of the collapsible apron on its ascentand supported until the clam begins again to descend. This collapsibleapron is shown in its closed or working position in full lines in Fig. 4and in its open or collapsed position in dotted lines in said igu re. Itwill be readily understood that the apron normally occupies thecollapsed position and is only lifted into the closed position by thecross-bar rof the clam in its ascent, this cross-bar lifting in turn theupper arms o o from the position shown in dotted lines to that shown infull lines, by which time the two halves m m of the apron F haveoverlapped.

The clam is preferably of the hemispherical type, the two halves ofwhich are pivoted to the clam-frame C near the center of the lowercross-bar, as shown at 7i 7L.

It will be readily understood that the clam goes down open, gets itsload in closing, goes up closed, and opens again at the top of thedredge-carriage to discharge its contents upon the collapsible apron F,which it has pulled up behind it.

In using this improved dredge, as above described, a continuous strip ofmaterial may be cut of a length substantially equal to the width of theboat on which the dredge is mounted, which is generally about sixtyfeet, after which the boat is advanced just enough to enable the cuttingof the next strip. Obviously without changing the moorings of the boatthe depth of any given cut may be increased, if desired, by making theclam travel along the same path as many times as may be necessary.

I claiml. The above-described dredge which consists of a suitable boatlprovided with a stationary frame projecting over one end thereof, twoindependently-operated clams mounted upon said frame and adapted to bemoved in the direction of the boats width and their operating mechanism,and a pair of inclined troughs mounted upon said frame and adapted to betipped so as to receive the excavated material from said clams both intheir converging and diverging positions, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The above-described dredge which consists of a suitable boat providedwith a stationary frame projecting over one end thereof, twoindependently-operated clams mounted upon said frame and adapted to bemoved in the direction of the boats width and their operating mechanism,and a pair of converging troughs mounted upon said frame and adapted toreceive the excavated material from said clams and convey it to themiddle of the boat and an inclined trough extending lengthwise of saidboat and. adapted to receive the excavated material from saidconveying-troughs and convey it to the end of said boat substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. The above-described clam-dredge which consists of a suitable boat, astationary frame mounted thereon and extending over one end thereof, aclam mounted on said frame and adapted to rise and fall verticallybeyond the end of said boat, a collapsible apron mounted upon said frameadapted to open in advance of said clam in its descent and to be closedby said clam in its ascent,and suitable troughs adapted to receive theexcavated material from said collapsible apron substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

4. A clam-dredge provided with a pair of receiving and conveying troughshung upon a suitable frame and adapted to converge toward each other anddeliver the excavated material to a central trough or to diverge fromeach other and discharge the excavated material over the sides of saiddredge substantially as shown and described.

EPHRAIEM CHAQUETTE.

Witnesses:

. W. P. PREBLE, Jr., C. E. DAVENPORT.

